Airplane toy



Patented Mar, 31, 1925.

UNITE s r-Ares Parent fissionassists JOHN CRwDAW, OFVLINCOLN, NEBRASKA.

\ AIRPLANE 1 TOY.

Application filed December 15, 1922. Serial No. 607,090.

irresistible to children as well as to grownups. I

Another of myobjects is to sofdesign the airplane'toy that it can be manufactured at the lowest possiblecost.

Another of my objects-is to provide an airplane device which will spin readily when carried in the hands of a running child or when mounted in a stationary position where there is a light breeze.

Still another of my objects is to provide an airplane device which will make a very striking and attractive ornament for the radiator cap o'f-an automobile.

'Having in view these objects and others which will appear in the description, I will now refer'to the drawings, in which- Figure l is a view in isometric projection of one form of my airplane toy.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the device showing also a dummy propeller which I add to the structure shown in F igure 1 and by way of modification thereof.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the forward portion only, of the modified form of the airplane toy as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4- is a detail View of the blank from which the body portion of the airplane is made.

Figure 5 is a view of the tail portion of iny airplane toy showing particularly the cut away portion which serves as a guide for the flapper, the form of tail shown being the same as that shown in Figures 2 and 3.

Figure 6 is a detail view of the flapper.

Figure 7 is a view showing the manner in which the tail part is securedto the planes.

In carrying out my invention, I secure a button 10 to the standard 11 by means of a vertical pivot 12. On the periphery of the button are mounted two or more equidistantly-spaced radiating arms 13. The structurethus far described constitutes a spider serving as a support'forthe airplanes, which are secured to the arms 13 at their outer ex tremities.

The blanks out of which the planes are formed are constructed as shown in Figure 4. An elongated sheet of any suitablemata I rial such as cardboard or sheet metal, is cut in the form shown, with openings at l i and 15 and with creases or weakened portions at 16. At one end of the blank are tongues, 17 which are adapted to be threaded each through apair of slits 18 after the blank has been'folde'd onthe lines 16. Theresultis a rectangular,structure having open ends cor-v respondingto the openings 1% andi15ofthe blank. To this box'likestructurel secure the tail 19, the position of the tailjbeinglin transverse median relation with respect 'to the planes. Thesecuring means are clearly shown in Figure 7 and with reference to Figures 4 and 5. Slits 20 are cut in the tail and through these slits are passed short strips 21 of suitable sheet metal the strips being folded upon themselves attheir middle points. In assen'ibling the device the folded protruding endso f the strips21 are passed through the slits 22 0f the blank shown in Figure 4 and are then upset vin opposite, directions as shown in Figure7.

Rotation otthedevicein the .wind is brought about by means of a pivoted flapper which rises into thepath of the wind at a certain point in the rotation oft-he airplane and which falls out of the path of the wind at anotherpoiiit. Thehconstruction of the flapper 23 is shown inlFigure 6. VNear the forward end of email in the portion hetween the planes is a cut-away part leaving a an opening 24 in the tail. The opening 2 1 is in the shape of a sector whose angle is acute and it serves-as a guideway for the flapper. The flapper in its two extreme positions abuts against the sides of the open-' ing, but in its lowermost position it does not reach the horizontal, nor does it reach the vertical in its uppermost position. At the bottom edge of the flapper is a notch 25 which rests in the angle ofthe'opening 2i and serves to steady the flapper in its movements Looped strips 26 are secured to the flapper at its lower extremities, and the blank shown in Figure I} is provided with pin holes 27'. In assembling the parts, the strips 26 will be in alignment with the pin holes 27" after which pins 28 are inserted in the pin holes and into the loops of the it to lift upwardly on its pivot.

dummy propeller for the airplane. spider and its pivoted button may of course strips 26. The pins 28 will thus serve as pivots for the flapper.

In use, it is necessary to have two or more airplanes secured to the spider as shown.

At the start all flappers will be in their down position because their weight will normally hold them down. However in the airplane which points in the direction of the wind, the wind will be directed against the underside of the flapper and will cause In this position the flapper will be an obstruction to the wind, which causes the airplane to travel through an are on the pivot 12. WVhen the wind no longer strikes the flapper on its rear surface, the weight of the flapper combined with the pressure of the wind on the forward surface will cause the flapper to assume its down position until it has again assumed the position where the wind strikes it in the rear. It is necessary to have at least two of the airplanes on the spider for the best results. However, while two airplanes alone will give satisfactory results, theyoccasionally halt for an instant on dead center, and I have found it best to use atleast three.

To add to the attractiveness of the device, I may add a pinwheel 29 which serves as a The be varied in any one of several ways. In mounting the airplanes on the arms of the spider, I may tack them onto the upper surface of the arms, or I may split the arms at their ends and slip one of the planes into the slit, where a drop of glue or other adhesive will secure it. This feature is also susceptible of numerous modifications. I have worked out a design whereby the complete article may be placed on the market, or whereby the parts may be packaged, the purchaser being enabled to assemble them easily and quickly.

Having thus described my invention and its advantages, what I believe to be new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesis 1. An airplane toy comprising aplurality of toy biplanes mounted to rotate about a common center, each of said biplanes including a pair of spaced horizontal planes having therebetween a channel for the passage of air currents, and a pivotally mounted flapper between the planes of each pair, said flapper being so arranged that a current of air from the rear will cause the flapper to swing into position for closing the channel between the pair of planes while a current of air directed against the front of the airplane will cause the flapper to swing into the position for leaving the passage between the planes open and unobstructed.

2. A toy airplane structure comprising an upper and a lower plane connected at their ends, a tail secured to said upper and lower planes and projecting in the rear of saidstructure, a flapper pivoted to said structure between the upper and lower planes, a-guidewayin the forward, portion of said tail for guiding the movements of said flapper, and a dummy propeller secured to the front end of the tail.

3. An airplane toy comprising a plurality of toy airplanes secured to rotate about a common center, each of said airplanes comprising an upper and a lower plane and means for connecting the planes at their lateral edges and in spaced relation, a tail secured in upright, position between said upper and lower planes and projecting in the rear of said planes, said tail having in its forward portion an aperture in the form of a sector whose apex is at the forward end and at the lowermost part of said aperture, and a flapper pivoted to swing between the sides of said aperture and about the apex of said aperture as a center.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

, JOHN paw. 

